Valve device,particularly for breathing apparatus



8" 1219.679: b. o. A. JOHANNISSON 3,460,558

VALVE DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR BREATHING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 5. 1966FIG. 2

FIG. 3

INVENTOR DAG O. A. JOHANNISSON BY oz/ csw ATTORNEY 5 United StatesPatent Int. Cl. F16k 7/17; A61m 16/00 US. Cl. 137-102 2 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A valve device for use With breathing apparatuscomprises a chamber having three apertures, the first of which is forconnection to the patient, the second to the source of breathing gas,and the third for exhalation. The second and third apertures terminatein valve seats. A flexible closure member cooperates to open and closethe second and third apertures. The closure member is constructed andpositioned so as to seat in its inoperative position on the valve seatof the third aperture and is formed with a free edge portion which inthe inoperative position seats on a corresponding portion of the seat ofthe second aperture. The closure member is easily flexible inwardlytoward the chamber upon the creation of a relative subpressure therein,thereby opening the second aperture to the chamber.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applicationSer. No. 206,509, filed June 29, 1962, entitled Valve Device,Particularly for Breathing Apparatus, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a valve device by means of which the wearer ofa breathing apparatus may be connected either to a source of breathinggas for inhalation or with the surrounding atmosphere for exhalation.The device comprises a chamber having three apertures, the first one ofwhich is for connection to the patient, the second to the source ofbreathing gas, and the third for exhalation.

According to the invention the second and third apertures terminate invalve seats With which a flexible closure member cooperates to open andclose the second and third apertures. The closure member preferably isconstructed and positioned so as to seat in its inoperative position onthe valve seat of the third aperture and is formed with a free edgeportion which in the inoperative position seats on a correspondingportion of the valve seat of the second aperture and which is easilyflexible inwardly toward the chamber upon the creation of a relativesubpressure therein, thereby creating a free passage between the secondaperture and the chamber around the free edge. There is thus an exposedportion of the flexible closure member between the portion which seatson the third aperture seat and the free edge portion which seats on thesecond aperture seat, and the relative chamber pressure acts upon thisexposed portion to open the second aperture or the third aperturedepending upon whether the chamber pressure relatively decreases orincreases. By virtue of the fact that the second and third apertures arenormally closed, and because of the ease with which the closure membermay flex, particularly the free outer edge portion, the closure memberoperates in response to relatively small pressure differences orchanges, and there is no danger of the third aperture being open duringinhalation or the second aperture being open during exhalation.

Preferably the second and third apertures are in opposed facingrelationship, and at least part of the valve seat of the second aperturelies laterally outwardly of the valve seat of the third aperture, andconveniently the valve seats may be aligned, with the second apertureseat having a greater lateral extent than the third aperture seat. Alsoconveniently the valve seats lie in closely adjacent substantiallyparallel planes so as to permit the closure member to take the form of asubstantially disclike member with the freely flexing outer edge thereofnormally seated on the second aperture seat.

Accordingly, it will be apparent from the foregoing summary that thegeneral object of this invention is to provide an improved valve devicefor use particularly with breathing apparatus.

I have set forth with particularity in the appended claims those novelfeatures which I consider characteristic of my invention, but theinvention itself, its structure, operation, advantages and variants,will be best understood by those skilled in the art from the followingdescription and the accompanying illustration of an exemplary andpresently preferred embodiment incorporating the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic section through a valve device duringinhalation, with the inoperative or normal position being shown inbroken lines;

FIGURE 2 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 1 of the valve device duringexhalation;

FIGURE 3 shows a detail of the structure of the closure member inaccordance with one embodiment thereof.

In the drawings the arrows indicate how the gas flow takes place duringthe respective operative positions of the flexible closure member. Thevalve device comprises a housing 1, 2, of which one portion 1 iscylindrical and carries a tubular member 3, while the portion 2 has theform of a cover for the portion 1 and also carries a tubular member 4.The portion 1 carries furthermore a lateral tube 5. The tube 5 is thefirst aperture referred to previously, the tube 4 the second apertureand the tube 3 the third aperture of the chamber formed by the housing1, 2.

Each of the tubes 3 and 4 forms a valve seat facing the chamber for avalve member 6 in the form generally of an elastic disc. The discconveniently is attached at a portion of its circumference forcooperation with the two valve seats. A simple arrangement of this kindis obtained if a circular disc of rubber is placed as a sealing memberbetween the two principal portions 1 and 2, and a cut is made in italong the circumference leaving a stem of suitable width, as indicatedgenerally in FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 1 shows the inhalation state, the normal or inoperative statebeing shown in broken lines at 6a. In this inoperative or normal statethe closure member 6 thus beats with one of its faces against the thirdaperture seat and with the free edge portion on the other of its facesagainst the second aperture seat. Both the second and third aperturesare thus closed. Breathing gas is applied through 4, for instance froman oxygen container. The valve disc then seats on the seat of tube 3,and because of the relative pressures bearing against the flexibleclosure member, it moves from the position shown at 6a to the positionshown in full lines. That is, its borders flex and allow the breathinggas to pass as indicated by the arrows of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2 shows the exhalation state, during which the pressure createdby the patient forces the disc 6 away from the third aperture seat andmore firmly against the second aperture seat. This is so because thevalve disc, even when it is seated on the tube 3, has a peripheralsurface of sufiicient magnitude facing toward the chamber and whichresponds to an increase in pressure to force the disc 011 the thirdaperture seat and against the tube 4.

It is important for the disc to have its inoperative position on theseat of the tube 3 so that the patient will not be able to inhalethrough the tube 3. If the inoperative be able to inhale through thetube 3. If the inoperaing to FIGURE 2, such inhalation would be possibleif it took place at such a small subpressure in the chamber that itwould not suflice for drawing the valve member toward the seat on thetube 3. A similar situation might be possible if the aperture of tube 4were not closed in the inoperative position. A very weak exhalationmight then not create suflicient overpressure to close the aperture oftube 4, and exhaled air might conceivably leak out this way. Because thesecond and third apertures are normally closed, and because of the easewith which the flexible closure member, particularly the free edgeportion, may flex to open these apertures, these possibilities areobviated, and the flexible closure member is fully responsive torelatively slight changes or differences in chamber pressure.

The valve device may also be used for artificial respiration if therescuer blows air to the patient through the tube 4, the patient beingconnected to the tube 5. The tube 4 may then be provided with anon-return valve for inhalation, through which valve the rescuer inhalesair which is then forced into the lungs of the patient when the rescuerexhales. The lungs are emptied through the tube 3 as before.

The exhalation tube 3 may be somewhat flared out- Wardly to lower theresistance to the exhalation.

The valve member 6 obviously may be an elastic disc of other material,such as plastic or possibly leather.

As an alternative, the valve disc may be completely free around itsouter edge, and may be supported in the device by small prongs orprojections which project into the tube 3.

The valve device may also be used for administering a liquid through thetube 3 from a container connected to the tube 5. The liquid is suppliedthrough the tube 4 to the container, and may flow out from it by way ofthe tube 3 when the pressure in the aperture 4 is smaller than thepressure existing within the tube and the chamber. In this manner thevalve device may be used for intravenous application of blood or otherliquid.

Having thu described my invention in the manner required by the patentstatutes, I claim:

1. In a breathing apparatus comprising a source of breathing gas and avalve device for connecting the breathing organs of a user to thebreathing gas and for carrying off exhaled gas from the breathingorgans, the improvement wherein said valve device comprises a casingforming a chamber; a first aperture for connection to the breathingorgans of the user; a second aperture connected to said source ofbreathing gas; a third aperture for carrying off exhaled gas; saidsecond and third apertures terminating in valve seats in said chamber;

said second and third apertures being located in substantially opposedrelationship; a flexible closure member in said chamber for normallyclosing said third aperture by engaging said valve seat of said thirdaperture in the inoperative position of the closure member, and foropening said third aperture While closing said second aperture upon anincrease of pressure in said chamber above the pressure from said secondaperture; said closure membe comprising a thin elastic disc ofimpervious material having a free edge portion for controlling thesecond aperture.

2. In a breathing apparatus, a valve device comprising: a casing forminga chamber, a first aperture for connection to the breathing organs ofthe user; a second aperture for connection to a source of breathing gas;a third aperture for carrying off exhaled gas; said second and thirdapertures terminating in valve seats in said chamber; said second andthird apertures being located in substantially opposed relationship;said casing comprising two separable parts with a sealing memberinterposed therebetween; said sealing member comprising an elasticmember extending entirely across the chamber formed by said casing, saidelastic member having a cut extending in a partially closed path lyinginwardly of the part of the member which is interposed between saidseparable parts so as to form a partially cut-out inner portion in theform of a thin elastic disc of impervious material having a free edgeportion for controlling the second aperture, and connected to the outerpart of the sealing member by the uncut portion of the partially closedpath; said partially cut-out inner portion comprising a flexible closuremember in said chamber for normally closing said third aperture byengaging said valve seat of said third aperture in the inoperativeposition of the closure member, and for opening said third aperturewhile closing said second aperture upon an increase of pressure in saidchamber above the pressure from said second aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,412,473 4/1922 Lane 1371021,506,012 8/1924 Lewis 137102 XR 2,533,965 12/1950 Schmohl et a1.137-525.3 XR 3,105,488 10/1963 Richards 128-1457 3,196,890 7/1965Brandenberg 137-102 3,285,267 11/1966 Groth l37525 XR 3,356,100 12/1967Seeler 137-102 FOREIGN PATENTS 799,225 8/ 1958 Great Britain.

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner RICHARD GERARD, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R. 137--525

